5. True or False: Carney and his wife began dating while they both worked in Russia.
A. True
B. False

W.H. to GOP: 'Stop the theater'

By Donovan Slack

05/09/13 01:16 PM EDT

White House press secretary Jay Carney on Thursday lashed out at Republicans for what he called a "historic level of obstructionism" on President Obama's cabinet picks, including EPA nominee Gina McCarthy.

"There has been a historic level of obstructionism from the Senate on this nomination and others," he told reporters aboard Air Force One. "…It just demonstrates that predilection for obstructionism that is bad for the functioning of the federal government in important areas.

"We call on Republicans in the Senate to stop gumming up the works when it comes to the confirmation process, when it comes to nominees who are enormously qualified," he said.

Republicans staged a last-minute boycott of a scheduled committee vote Thursday on Gina McCarthy, and Republican Sen. David Vitter alone has submitted more than 650 questions for her, an amount Dems decried as a record-shattering barrage.

"We believe that the Senate will confirm her to her post, and we call on Republican to stop the theater and to move forward with the process," Carney said.

Republicans also threw a wrench in the confirmation process for Labor pick Thomas Perez, insisting a committee vote scheduled Wednesday be delayed.

Carney suggested that was part of the "pattern and practice" of GOP obstructionism.

"It's regrettable because these are highly qualified nominees," he said. Still, Carney pledged, "We're going to continue to work with the Senate to move these nominations forward."